Patrik Sjöberg

Patrik Sjöberg (Gothenburg 2011)

Patrik Sjöberg (born January 5, 1965 in Gothenburg ) is a former Swedish athlete and former world record holder in high jump .

The success story of the Swedish high jump of the last 20 years began with winning his silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles . At first it was shaped by Sjöberg, later Kajsa Bergqvist and Stefan Holm followed .

In Los Angeles, the 19-year-old newcomer from Sweden fought a fascinating duel with the German jumper Dietmar Mögenburg , who became Olympic champion. Just one year later, Sjöberg became the first ever indoor world champion . The Swede also won gold at the 1987 open-air world championships in Rome . He won with 2.38 m, the championship record valid until the 1993 World Championships.

The Swede set a new world record 68 days earlier (June 30, 1987). At the DN Galan in the Stockholm Olympic Stadium , he improved the world record by one centimeter. He jumped eight feet. This altitude, which is a European record to this day, was later only improved by the Cuban Javier Sotomayor . Thus 1987 was the most successful year of his career.

At the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988 he won the bronze medal and at his third Olympic Games in 1992 in Barcelona he won the silver medal again.

In 1985 he was honored with the Svenska Dagbladet gold medal.

In 2011, Sjöberg published a book in which he describes the years of sexual abuse by his stepfather and trainer Viljo Nousiainen. His then training colleague Yannick Tregaro was also sexually abused.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ "Sjöberg urinated on the grave of his tormentor", Welt online from April 28, 2011